Automatic wire-tying machine.



0. L. BOWERS. AUTOMATIC WIRE TYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 14, 1909. 942,305, Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

will- II xi cflmmm Lilill ii fi. mm:

QM b1 eon:

O. L. BOWERS.

AUTOMATIC WIRE TYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) JAN. 14, 1909.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' Witnesses attoznuao 0. L. BOWERS. AUTOMATIC WIRE TYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1909.

A 5 l" I w 1 2 R i 4 9 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Suva/"tot, fi m/Zfiazwrx Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

OSCAR L. BOWBRS, OF

WILLARD; ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN L.

BOWERS, OF WILLARD, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC WIRE-[DYING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1909.

' Application filed January 14, 1909. Serial No. 472,220.

vused in connection with baling presses. 1n

practically all of such devices, as now constructed, the baling Wire isheld comparatively taut across the throat ofthe. press box and is fedinto the press box by the plunger and the material compnessed' inadvance 0f the plunger. In such con: structions, intermittent and suddenrotation is imparted to the wire storing reel and the wires themselvesare placed under considerable stress so that it frequently happens thatthey break and the bale in partly completed condition is required to.beremoved from the press box and recompressed. In

- addition to this liability to breakingof the balingwires, the suddenjerky motion imparted to the reels not only renders them liable toinjury but further results in more than the necessarylength ofwire beinganwound therefrom so that vwhen the needles swing across the throatofthe press box to complete the ties, thereis-moreoi' less slack in thewires which renders the tiesinsecure.

In order to overcome these disadvantages it is contemplated, in theresent inventio n, that prior to the beginning of each bale formingoperation, a sutficient slack length of.wire will be unwound from thereels or other. storing means to encompass three. sides of the bale, ormore specifically speaking, the two sides. and the front end, and thisslack length of wire is readily taken up by the plunger and the materialbeing compressed in advance thereof while .the bale is being formed andWithout any stress be ing' placed upon the reels or other wire stor- 1nitself is relieved practically entirely of strain inasmuch as it isperfectly loose; One of the principal advantages accruing'frofn this"method of procedure lies in the fact that after the entire slack hasbeen taken up and the wire so engaged about the completed bale as toencompass the two sides and one end thereof, the length of wire betweenthe bale devices; and, furthermore, the wire and the wire storing reelor other means is comp'arativelytaut so that when engaged bythe needlesweeping across the throat of the press box, it Wlll be pulled securelyaround the bale after which it is twisted together and cut.

Other novel features and advantages accruing from the specificconstruction and arrangement of elements of the device will be madeapparent in the specific description which is to follow and in theclaims.

In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 .is a top plan view 0 the pressbox of a .baling press showing themechanism embodied in the presentinvention in lace thereon. Fig. 2 is arear elevation o the mechanism forgathering, holding, twisting. and cutting the strands of baling wire,Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view in detail of the mechanism illustrated inFig. 2. Fig. 4 is a View inside elevation showing the needle operatingmechanism. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of the gathering and holding diskand the elements of the mechanism associated therewith, Figs. 6,7, 8, 9,10 and 11 are diagrammatic views of the portion of the mechanism shownin Fig: 5 showing the successive steps in the operation of the saidmechanism, and Figs. 12, 13 "and 14 are diagrammatic views showing themethod of distributing and arranging the. bale tying 'wires, thesuccessive steps being illustrated in the said figures;

In-the drawlngs, there 1s shown the press .box of a baling press and ofthis press box to be presently described, each of the side 9 walls 20and 2l is formed with at least a pain of longitudinally extendin slots23 and 24 respectively, the slots int e wall 20 extending'practicallythe entire length of the said wall and those in the Wall 21 but aportion ofthe length of the wall.

A pair ofwire storing reels 25'are mounted upon'the side 21 of the,ressxbox and it .is fi'om t-hese reels thatthe aling wires are drawntonl'y; one'of the reels being, however, shown in: the drawings), thewires being indicated by the numeral 26 and being led through the slots24 in the side Wall. 21 of. the press box and transversely across thethroat of the box and thrqughother slots .23 in the side walls 20. Theends of the now be specifically described.

v mounted to reciprocate in a bearing 36 A pair of frames 27 are mountedone above the other upon the side wall 20 of the press box and insuitable bearin s 28 formed at the extremities of arms 29 0 each framethere is journaled a vertical crank shaft 30 the crank portion of whichis indicated by the numeral 31. This shaft 30 carries a pair of mastergears which are constructed and arranged to impart motion each to a mechanism arranged opposite each of the slots 23 in the side walls 20 forgathering, holding, twisting, and cutting the baling wires after theyhave been formed around the bale. a Journaled for rotation upon .avertically extending stub shaft 32 is a hollow cylindrical wire holdingdevice 33 the said device being open at its lower end and having itsvertical walls formed with a plurality of slots 34, these slots beinghere shown as four in number and being designed to receive the end ofthe respective baling'wire. The slots are spaced around the verticalwall of the device substantially 90 apart and the device isintermittently rotated in such manner as to successively bring a pair ofthese slots in a line with the line of feed.of the baling wire, as isclearly shown in Fig.3 of the drawings.

' The means for intermittently rotating the wire gripping and holdingelement just described is'embodied in a plunger 35 which is formed atthe upper end of an arm 37 constitut-ing aportion of the frame 27. Theinv ner end of this plunger 35 is turned downwardly as indicated by thenumeral 38 and slightly laterally and is arranged to engage successivelywith radially projecting lugs 39 formed at -eo ui-distant-points aroundthe circumference of the wireholding device'33, the said lugs beingpreferably equal in number to the number of slots 34. Alspring 40 uponthis plunger bears at one" end against the bearing 36 in which theplunger recipro cates and atits otherend against a shoulder 41 at theupper end of a downwardly projecting finger 42 formed at the outer endof the plunger 35. The lower, end of the finger 42. above referred toprojects in thepath of movement of'a lug 43 formed upon the upper faceof a master gear 44 it being understood that when this lu r- 43- engageswith the lowerend of the said finger, the plunger 35 is shifted in the'direction of the wall 20 of the press box and its downturned end 38 willrotate the wire,holding device- 33 one step by reasonof the engagementof the said end of the plunger with one of the lugs 39. The spring 40 issoarranged as to not only hold the plunger 35 normally at the outerlimit of its movement but is also arranged to permit slight rocking ofthe plunger to permit the downturned end 38 thereof to follow around thecircumference of the wire holding device 33.

As will be presently explained, one end of the baling wire is at alltimes gripped by the member 33 and prior to the operation of the baleforming means, the baling wire is to be engaged at a pointbetween theholding device 33 and the reel 25 or other wire storing. device, and acertain slack length of the wire removed from the reel and deposited orarranged in the corresponding slot 23 in the side wall 20 of the pressbox and the means for accomplishing this feed of the Wire will now bedescribed.

Projecting from each of the frames 27, rearwardly at an angle from theside wall 20 of the press box is an arm 45 and extending verticallybetween the extremities of these two arms 45 is a rod 46, the said armprojecting through a slot 47 formed in the arm, 48 which is in thismanner mounted for oscillatory movement, the inner end of the 'armsupporting wire gripping means which will be shortly described. Aconnecting rod 49 serves to connect this arm 48, at a point adjacent.one end of the slot 46, with the crank 31 of the shaft 30 so that uponrotation of the shaft, the arm will be oscillated upon the rod-.46 as anaxis. At its said extremity, the arm 48 supports a vertically;positioned rod 50 theupper and lower end portions of which are turned atri ht angles as indicated by the numeral 51 an are each formed, at theextremity, with a hook 52, it being understood that means is in thismanner provided for simultaneously gripping both of the baling wires.The hooks 52 are so arranged that when the shaft- 30 has reached such apoint in its rotation as to bring the wire gripper carrying end of thearm 48 to position between thetwo baling wires, the said hook will ridebeneath the wires and upon movement of the said end of the arm 48 fromthe position stated in a direction toward the'posl'tion shown in fulllines in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the wires will be engagedsimultaneously by the hook and will be" pulled rearwardly, unwindingfrom the respective reel 25.

I As is clearly shown in Fig. '1 of the drawings; the hookedends of thewire carrier or feeder travel in the upper and lower slots the materialbeing compressed in advance thereof against the said wires, the resultbe-' ing that both wires are gradually worked into position in the pressbox to extendalong each side wall thereof and across the rear end of thebale.

' From the foregoing, it will be understood that a suflicient slacklength of each baling wire is unwound from the respective reel 25 toencompass three of the sides of the bale being formed and that no wireis unwound from the reel due to theaction of the baling plunger, theslack merely being taken up by the operation of the plunger. There isfor this reason no sudden rotative movement imparted to the reels 25 andno undue and sudden stress placed upon the Wires themselves so thatsnapping of the wires .or injury to the reel is effectually obviated.

After the completion of the" bale, the haling wires encompassing thethree sides of the same, an additional length of the baling wire iscarried' across the throat of the press box or in other words across thefront end of the bale and is connected with that end of the wirepreviously referred to and initially gripped by the wire holding means'33. The means for,carrying the baling wires across the throat of thepress box and the front end of the bale is embodied in needles 54 whichare carried by a vertically disposed rock shaft 55 mounted in suitable,bearings 56 upon the side wall 21 of the press box. Each of theseneedles includes a shank andan angularly turned end 57 vwhich latter isdesigned to be forced transversely across the throat of the press box,the said I portions of the needles passing through the slots 24 in thesaid wall 21. 1

Normally, the extremities of the portion 57 of'the' needles liesubstantially inregistration withthe respective slots 24 and thebalingwires 26 pass into the press box, from the reels, across theends'of the said portions of the needle and through the slots 24' as isclearly'shown in Figs. 4, 12,13 and 1 4 of the drawings. "When theneedles are-in normal position as stated above, theirshanks 54 extend atan angle forwardly from the side 21 of the press box, but when theshaft" 55 is rocked so as to swing the needle shanks in the direction ofthe said side and to position substantially parallel therewith, the ends57 of the needles will be forcedacross the throat ofv the press boxcarrying with them the proper length of baling wire.

This movement of the needles and rocking of the shaft 55 is had throughthe instrumentality of a vertically disposed crank shaft 58 which isconnected with a crank arm 59 upon the shaft 55 by means of a connectingrod 60, the crank of the shaft 58- and the crank arm 59 of the shaft 55being so proportioned that one complete revolution of the shaft 58 willrock the shaft 55 sufiiciently to force the needles across the throat ofthe press box and withdraw them from such position.

A gear 61 at theupper end of the shaft 58 meshes with a .gear 62 .driventhrough the instrumentality of a friction clutch 63 from a shaft 64bywhich it is carried and which in turn is driven from the powersupplying mechanism for the entire press. It might be here stated thatat the lower end of the shaft 58 there is provided a bevel gear 65 whichmeshes with a similar gear 66 upon one end of a shaft 67 journaledtransversely beneath the press box of the baling press. This shaft 67carries at its other end a gear 68 which meshes with a gear 69 fixed atthe lower'end of the crank shaft 30 so that when motion is imparted tothe shaft 58, it is transmitted also to the shaft 30. It is of courseonly desired that the shaft-'58 be rotated during a" period immediatelysubsequent to the forma-.

tion of each bale and in order that the shaft may be automaticallythrown into and out of operation at theoproper time, I have provided aclutch mechanism, the clutch proper of which has already been referredto anddesignated by the numeral 63. The clutch is preferablyiof thattype in which one member, in this instance'the member carrying the gear62, is held at times against rotation by means of a suitable latch ordetent device and in Fig. 4 of the drawings, this device is indicated bythe numeral 70, it being in the nature of a sliding latch having itsupper endarranged to engage with the member 63 and its lower endconnected pivotally with the extremity of one arm of an angle lever 71.To the other arm of this lever 71 is connected one end of a spring 72which at its other is secured to the wall 21 of the press box, thespring tendlng normallyto hold the lever in such position as to causethe detent -70-to engage with the clutch. A rod 73 is also pivotallyconnected Wlth the last mentioned armof the angle lever 71 and isprovided-atits otherextremity with a slot74 in which-works a pin-75carried upon the crank write, it being understood that-rocking of'theshaft 55, and consequently the crank arm 59, will result in this rod7 3 being shifted to 1 such a degree and in such manner as to move thelatch 7 0 out of enga ement with the friction clutch device and thereby.provide for rotation of theshaft 58 and consequently the shaft 55. Theoperation of the angle lever 71 to accomplish the result stated isaccomplished automatically by means of a rocking beam 76 which isf'nounted upon the side 21 of the press box and has flexible connectionsas at 77 with the last mentioned arm of the angle lever, the connectionbeing passed over a pulley 78 also mounted upon the said side of thepress box.

The rear end of the lever projects above a friction disk 79 which isjournaled upon a stub shaft 80 and rotates partly within a slot 81formed in the side wall 21 of the press box, the periphery of the diskbeing in contact with the bale being formed in the said box. This disk79 is of such construction as to be adjustable as regards itscircumference and it is-intended that the disk should rotate, due tofrictional contact with the material of the bale as it is compressed,one revolution during the complete process of forming the bale and ateach revolution of the disk, a cam lug 82 thereon rides'beneath the saidrear end of the rocking beam 76 and rocks said beam thereby causing thesame to exert a pull upon the flexible connection 77 thereby operatingthe angle lever 7lt'o render the clutch -63 operative. From theforegoing, it will be seen that there is provided means automaticallyoperatingat the time of completion of each bale to set the wire applyingdevices, as a whole, in'operation.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the extremity of eachneedle, after passing across the throat of the press box, sweeps beneaththe corresponding wire gripper and holder 33 with the baling wire 26extending in a line with a pair of the slots 34 in theyertical wall ofthe said gripper and pivoted. in the frame 27 for rocking movement in avertical plane is a lever83 which has its inner endpositioned so as toengage with the wire-at a point between the pair of slots through whichthe, wire extends. At its outer end, this lever is provided with aroller, or other suitable antifriction device 84 which is so positionedas tobe engaged by a cam lug 85'upon the under face of the master gear44 once-in each revolution, of the gear. This engagement of the cam lug85 with the said outer end of the'lever 83 will result in the said endbeing depressed and the inner end being raised so as to, force the wireup into the said slot 34, the wire holder and gripper 33 being rotatedone step to cause the wire to bind in ,the slot, which operation will bepresently morefully stated. It will be observed, from an inspection ofFig. 2 of the drawings, that the inner end portion of the lever 83 iscurved upwardly so that its extremity, when the said end of the lever israised, projects upwardly into the gripper and holder 33 at a pointbetween the axis of the said member, namely the stub shaft upon which itrotates and the vertical wall of the member so that rotation of themember is not interfered with.

A knife 86 is rigidly mounted in the frame 27 andhas its cutting edgedisposed practically in contactwith 'the outer surface of I the gripperand holder 33 and immediately upon starting of the wire twistingmechanism, it is designed that this knife shall have a shearing actionagainst the strands of wire held in the slots in the holder and in thismanner sever the said strands at a point beyondtheir portions which areto be twisted together.

The wire twisting means or mechanism is embodied in a shaft 88 which isjournaled for rotation in suitable bearings 89 formed upon the frame 27,and the inner end of this shaft is bent at right angles to form a finger90 rovided with a longitudinal slot or ker 91. When in normal position,the finger of the twister shaft extends, as illustrated in Fi s. 3 and 5of the drawin s, be-

tween the si e wall 20 of the press box and the wire gripper and holder33 so that when the strands are gripped and held by the said device 33,they will be in position to be inserted or forced into the slot or kerfof the i said twister finger after which the shaft 88 carrying thefinger is rotated to twist the ends of the strands together. At itsouter end,-the shaft 88 carries a mutilated bevel gear 92 the gear'portion of which is arranged to mesh with a gear section 93 of themaster gear 44, the said gear section extending throughout practicallyone-half of the circumference of the master gear.- The gear 92 upon thetwister shaft is formed with a flattened side portion 94 which isdesigned to ride over a raised semi-annular rib 95 which extendsthroughout the remainder of the circumference of the master gear, itbeing understood of course that when the flattened side of the gear '92is in such engagement with the rib 95, the shaft 88 will-be idle, butthat as soon asthegear'section 93 comes in the path of the gear 92, :theshaft 88 is rotated the re quired number of revolutions so as to twisttheends of the strands of wire. Asa means for feeding or forcing-thebaling wire into the kerf 91 of the twister finger 90,there is provideda lever 96 which is mounted to rock inv an inclined plane and has itsinner end turned angularly as at 97 and its extremity notched as at 98to engage with one strand of the baling wire. As clearly shown in Figs.3 and 5 of the drawings, the said laterallybent end .of' the lever ispresented in the direction of the slotted extremity of the twisterfinger 90 so that should the lever be rocked upon its pivot to move itsend 97 in the direction of the said finger, and should a strand of Wirebe in the path of movement of the extremity of the lever the strand willbe forced into the kerf in the twister finger. In order that the levermay be so rocked at the proper moment, it is provided at its outer endwith a roller 99 which is to be engaged by a cam lug 100 formed upon theunder face. of the master gear 4 1, this engagement being had subsequentto the gripping of the strands by the wire gripper and holder-33.

As a means for assembling the strands and the numeral l03, this peculiarformation of the edge of the disk resulting in. a wire strand receivingseat 104 adjacent to each of the notches 102, it being understood thatone strand of the two strands to be twisted is received in one of thenotches 102 and the other one of the two strands in the related seat104. This disk 101 is mounted upon the side 23 of the press box insuchposition as to cooperate with the correspondmg needle slot in thesaid side of the press box, the slot at that end at which the said diskis located being atone edge of cam formation as indicated by the numeral105 and the other edge being of cam formation as indicated by thenumeral 106, the edge 106 being convex and the edge 105 being parallelwith respect thereto; The operation of this strand assembling-disk willbe fully described in the statement of the va-'- rious steps in theoperation of the mechanism as a whole. It is lntended, for reasons whichwill presently be made apparent, that the wire strand assembling diskshall have a step by step or intermittent rotary movement imparted toit, and in order to accomplish this result, a lever 107 is provided asat 108 in the frame 27 and is provided at its inner end with a pivoteddog 109 at all times held against the outer face of the disk by means ofa spring 110 which is secured upon the said end of the lever and bearsagainst the dog. This dog engages successively in notches 111 formed inthe 7 said outer face of the disk and at its inner end, the'lever isprovided with a roller 112 which is to be engaged by a cam lug 113formed upon the under face of the master gear 44, it being understoodthat as this lug 113 rides over the re er at the said outer end of thelever, the inner end of the In order to hold the wire strand assemblingdisk against backward rotation, a spring pressed detent 114 is mountedupon the side 20 of the press box and engages successively behind theshoulders 104 of the said assembling disk.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows :It will first be supposedthat a length of baling wire is unwound from its reel and is manuallyengaged in the wire holder 3? and that the strand is then led manuallydown the side 20 of the press box in the manner of the loop which ismechanically formed by the mechanism while in operation. The

ress is then set in operation and material 1s fed into the hopper of thepress box and is compressed into thebox by the baling plunger.Immediately subsequent to the completion of the bale the shaft 58 willbe set 1n motion through the release of the clutch 63. During theprocess of forming the bale theslack length of baling wire has beengradually fed into the press box as will be readily understood toembrace three of the sides of the bale as it is formed, so that at thetime of com letion of the bale, the balintg wire embraces t ree sidesthereof or speci ically speaking the two sides and the rear end, theforward end of the, bale not bein embraced by the wire. As soon as thesha t 58 is set in motion, the shaft. 55 will be rocked so as to forcethe needles across the throat of the press box, and as the ends of theseneedles engage with the two baling wires, the said wires are'carriedacross the front end of the bale. After the needle has passed across thethroat of the press box, its position is as shown in dotted lmes in Fig.3

of the drawings, and one strand of the loop of wire formed by theneedleis forced upwardly into the pair of slots 34 beneath which it extends,the end of the baling wire being already engaged in one of these slots.

Immediately following the impresslonpf the strandof wire into the slotsin the wire gripper and holder, the assembling disk is rotated one stepwith the original strand of wire or in other words the strand the end ofwhich is primarily engaged with the gri per and holder 33, seating inthe rlght'han one of the notches 102, so that the said strand 1s broughtto the position shown in Fi 7 of the drawings, this strand is in icatedthroughout the several figures by the reference character X. The otherend of the strand of wire has, as above stated, been brought through thepress box or rather across the throat thereof and seated in the gripperand holder 33, this strand being 1ndicated by the reference character Y.The

cam lug 100- at this time engages the wheel 99 atthe outer end-of thelever 96 and the strand Yis forced into the kerf of the twister finger90, and at the same time rides over that cam edge of the assembling diskindicated by the reference character A in Fig. 5 of the drawings so'thatit seats in the recess or seat 104 adjacent the notch occupied by thestrand .Immediately subsequent to this disposal of the strand Y in thetwister finger kerf 91, and acting practically simultaneously, the wiregripper and holder 33 is rotated one-quarter of a revolution or in otherwords throughan angular. movement of substantially 90 and the twistershaft 88 is set'in motion, the two strands Y and X being severedpracticallyat the time the twister rotates so that while the twistingoperation will not be interfered with, the strands. will be held.against separation to such a degree as to render the operation of thetwister ineffective. This latter step completes the wiring of the baleand the entire operation is repeated except of course the manualapplication of the baling wire to the gripper and holder 33, it beingunderstood that the end of the strand Y remains engaged with one oftheslots of the said gripper and is firmly held thereby in the manner aswas the corresponding end of the original strand X. In the operationwhich followsythe rotation of the wire strand assembling disk through 90will actto cause the twisted ends of the wire strands to ride over thecam edge 106, or more specifically speaking between this edge and theedge 105 and it 1s by reason of this engagement of the strands with thesaid edges that they are forced out from their seats in the disk so--asto permit of ready ejection of the completed bale from the press box.

What is claimed is 1. In a baling mechanism, means for feeding apredetermined slack, non-restrained, length of baling wire into thepress box prior to the operation of the bale forming means.

2. In a baling mechanism, a baling wire slack in the baling wire priorto the operation of the bale forming means.

4:. In a baling mechanism, means for feeding into the press box a'sufiicient non-restrained, slack, length of the baling wire to embrace aplurality 'of the sides of the bale.

5. In a baling mechanism, means operable prior to the operation of thebale forming means for feeding into the press box a slack,non-restrained length of baling wire sufiicient to embrace two sides andone end of the bale.

6. In a baling mechanism, means for feeding into the ress box, prior totheoperation of the ba e forming means, a slack, nonrestrained, lengthof baling wire suflicient to embrace a plurality of sides of the bale,and means operable immediately subsequent to the formation of the balefor feeding a length of the baling wire across the remaining face of thebale.

v 7. In a baling mechanism, means for feedinga predetermined slack,non-restrained, length of baling wire a portion of which length extendsacross the throat of the press box in the path of the plunger.

8. In a baling mechanism, means for forming a predetermined nonrestrained slack in the baling wire, a portion of the length of the wireextending across the throat of the press box in the path of movement ofthe plunger.

9. In a baling mechanism, means for forming a predeterminednon-restrained slack in the baling wire, said slack lying beyond a lenthof the wire extending across the throat o the press box.

' 10. In a baling mechanism, wire storing means to one side ofthe pressbox of the press, and means at the other side of the said press box forfeeding a predetermined slack, non-restrained, length of the wire fromthe storing means across the throat of the press box priortot-heoperationof the bale forming means.

11. In a baling mechanism, wire storing means located to one side of thepress box, and means located to the other side of the press box forwithdrawing a length of the posing a predetermined slack non-restrainedlength of baling wire in position to be taken up by the compression ofthe material in the press box.

1 1. In a baling mechanism, baling wire storing means, and means forwithdrawing a predetermined length of such wire from said means anddisposing the same in position to be taken up by the compression of liqthe material in the press box, the, said length, when so stored, beingnon-restrained.

15. In a baling mechanism, means for dis:

posing within the press box'a predetermined non-restrained slack lengthof balingwire in position to be taken up by the material beingcompressed in the box.

' 16. In a baling mechanism, baling wire storing means, means fordisposing a predetermined nonrestrained, length of such wire, in slackcondition, in position to be taken up and fed into the press box by thecompression of material into the box, and means for feeding a length ofsuch wire across the throat of the press box subsequent to the formationof the bale therein.

17. Ina baling mechanism, means for feeding baling wire across. thethroat of the press box, and means operable prior to the operation ofthe bale forming means for engaging the baling wire and disposing anonrestrained, slack lengththereof. adjacentthe press box.

18. In a baling mechanism, a baling wire storing spool, means forfeeding a predetermined length of wire from the spool across the throatof the ress box, and to position in a slot in the side of the press box,said means operating prior to the operation of the bale forming means,the said lengths being sla k and non-restrained and being adapt-e to befed into the box by the bale during formation, the spool being designedto overcome the resistance oifered by the wire to the bale whereby nowire will be 1111- Wound from the spool during the period of formationof a bale.

g 19. In a baling mechanism, means'for drawing a predeterminedslacklengthof baling wire across the throat of the ress box prior-to theoperation of the bale orming means and for storing said length of wirein position to be taken up during the operation'of the said bale formingmeans, and in non-restrained condition.

20.- In a baling mechanism, means forv drawing a predetermined slacklength of" baling wire across the throat of the press box and disposinga non-restrained portion of said length-along one side. of the es boxprior to the operation of the baleor ing means. v

21. In a baling mechanism, means for drawing a predetermined length ofbaling wire across the throat of the press'box, that portion of the saidlength which extendsacross the throat of the said box being comparatively taut, and that portion of the length which hes beyond thefirst mentioned portion being slack and non-restrained.

' 22. In a baling machanism, means for drawing a predetermined slacklength of baling wire across the throat of the ing means, a portion ofthesaid length of res box prior to'the operation of the bale. orm

wire being supported comparatively taut and in position transversely ofthe said throat of the box, the other portion being in the condition ofa non-restrained loop.

23. In a baling mechanism, means for drawing a predetermined slacklength of baling wire across the throat of the press box', that portionof the said length which extends across the throat being comparativelytaut and the remainder of the length being slack and non-restrained anddisposed through the operation of the said means along one side of thepress box, the said means being arranged for operation prior to theoperation of the bale forming. means. 24. In a baling mechanism, meansfor drawing a predetermined length of baling [wire across the throat ofthe press box, that portion of the len th which extends transversely ofthe said throat being comparatively taut, the portion of the lengthlying beyond the first mentioned portion being non-restrained and slackand disposed along the side of the press box, and means operablesubsequent to the formationof the bale for feeding an additional lengthof the wire across the said throat of the box.

25. In a baling mechanism, means for storingi baling wire, means forwithdrawing a su cientlength. of the said wire from the. storing meansto encompass three sides of the bale being formed, the said wirewithdrawing means bein oerable prio'r-to the operation of thebale ormingmeans, and means operable subsequent to the'forrnation of the bale forcarrying an additional length of such wire across the throat of thepress box beside a fourth face of the bale, that portion of such wiredesigned to encompass the three sides of the bale being so dis osed andsupported as to be free from tension.

26. In a balin mechanism, successively operating means for feedinglengths of baling wire across the throat of the press box, the combinedlength being sufficient to encompass four sides of the bale, thev lengthfed by 'one of such means being non-restrained. Y

. 27. In a baling mechanism, a bale wire storing spool, means forfeeding a predetermined length of wire from the spool across the throatof the press box and to position along one side of the box, said-meansbeing arranged to recede whereby to leave the wire thus deposited inslack and non--- restrained condit on, said means actuating prior to theo eration of the bale forming means, the sai length of wire beingadapted to be fed into the box by the bale during the formation, thespool being designed to overcome the resistance offered by the wire tothe bale whereby no wire-will be unwound from the spool during'theperiod of formation of a bale. I

lnon-restra-ine and 28. In a baling mechanism, baling wire storing meansand an oscillating arm arranged to withdraw a predetermined slack lengthof baling wire from said means and to dispose the same along one side ofthe press box finally in non-restrained position..

rccede whereby to leave the wire in non-.

restrained condition.

30. In a baling mechanism, baling wire storing means, and-means arrangedto intermittently engage the said wire and withdraw predeterminedlengths thereof from such storing means, and to dispose the same in.

non-restrained condition. a

31. In a baling mechanism, wire storing- 1neans,'and means arranged tointermittently engage with the said wire and withdraw predetermined'slack lengths thereof from the said storing means across the throat ofthe press box, and to finally dispose such lengths beside the box innon-restrained con- 'dition.

32. In a baling mechanism, a baling wire storing spool, means arrangedto reciprocate continuously along one side of the press box fordisposing a length of baling wire along the side of the box, meansreciprocating across the throat ofthe box for depositing Wire upon thesaid reciprocating means, the said reciprocating means, upon receding,leaving the length of wire thus deposited slackiand non-restrained, thesaid length of .wire being adapted to be fed into the press box by thebale during formation.

33. In a baling mechanism, means for intermittently feedingpredetermined slack lengths of baling wire across the throat of thepress box anddisposing said lengths in non-restrained condition inposition to be taken up by the compression of the bale.

34:. In a baling mechanism, a baling wire storing spool, means arrangedto reciprocate continuously along one side of the press box fordisposing a length of baling wire along the side of the box, meansreciprocating across the throat ofthe box for depositing wire upon thesaid reciprocating means, the said reciprocating means, upon receding,leaving the length of wire thus deposited slack and non-restrained, thesaid length of wire being adapted to be fed into the press box by the.bale during formation, the spool being designed to overcome theresistance offered by the wire to the bale whereby no wire will beunwound from the spool during the period of formation of the bale.

35. In a baling mechanism, wire storing ranged for intermittentmovement,

means, and means for intermittently feeding predetermined slack lengthsof the balin wire across the throat of the ress box an subse uently,disposing a portlon of each of such engths along one side of the saidbox in non-restrained condition.

36. In a baling mechanism, wire storing means, and constantlyreciprocating means for intermittently engaging the baling wire andwithdrawing predetermined slack lengths thereof from the said storingmeans and disposing a portion of each of such lengths in comparativelytaut condition transversely of the throat of the "press box and theremainder of each length in slack non-restrained condition in positionto be taken up by the compression of the bale.

- 37 In a baling mechanism, a wire storing means, means for drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the press box,means for gripping the wire, means for twisting the wire interposedbetween the wire storing means and the grip ping means, said grippingmeans being arever means having operative connections with the grippingand twisting means, and a master gear common to both of suchmeansarranged to actuate intermittently, said lever means.

r 38. In a baling mechanism, a wire storing means, means for drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the press box, acylinder formed with a plurality of wire receiving seats, the saidcylinder being mounted for intermittent rotation, means for twistin thewire interposed between the said cylin er and the wire storing means,and 'a blade disposed with its cutting edge in cooperative relation tothe cylinder for cutting the wire.

39. In a baling mechanism, a wire storing means, means for drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the press box, awire grippingmeans comprising a, cylinder formed with a plurality ofwire receiving notches, said cylinder being mounted for intermittentrotation, wire twisting means comprising a shaft having a laterallyturned port-ion formed with a wire receiving kerf, vmeans for assemblingstrands of wire to be twisted, means for feeding the strands of wireinto the notches of the gripping cylinder, and a cutter for severing thetwisted strands.

40. In a baling mechanism, a wire.storing means, means for drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the ress box, awire gripping means comprising a cylinder formed. with a plurality ofwire receiving notches, said cylinder being mounted for intermittentrotation,'wire twisting means comprising a shaft having a laterallyturned portion formed with a wire receiving kerf, means for assemblingstrands of wire to be twisted, means for feeding the strands of wireinto the notches of thegri ping cylinder, a cutter for severing t etwisted strands, and means for feeding the strands of wire into thekerf'of the laterally turned portion ofthe twisting shaft.

41. In a baling mechanism, a wire storing means, meansfor drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the press box,'andan intermittently rotatin disk formed with a plurality of seats adapteto receive strands of wire and to assemble said strands, means beyondthe disk for gripping the strands, means interposed be tween the diskand the gripping means foi twisting the strands, means cooperating withthe gripping means for severing the strands subsequent to twisting, anda master gear common to all of said means and arranged to actuate thesaid means successively;

42. In a baling mechanism, means for feeding the baling wire across thethroat of the press box, a wire gripping and holding means, means fordirecting the strands of the wire to be twisted into direct engagementwith said gripping and holding-means, and

a wire twisting means arranged in operative relation with respect to thegripping and holdin means.

43. n a baling mechanism, a wire storing means, means for drawing thewire from the said storing means across the throat of the press box,means arranged at that side. of the press box opposite to the side atwhich the wire storin means 'is located to advance and recede, sai meansbeing arranged, upon advance movement, tofeed and dispose a slack lengthof wire along one side of the press box, said means u on recedingmovement being arranged to cave said deposited strand non-restrained,wire gripping means arranged at the opposlte slde of the press box, andwlretwistmgmeans arranged between'the press box and the gripping means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

OSCAR L. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

Loom L. Bownns, JAMES H. EIDsoN.

